IDE for Heterogeneous Client/Server Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
The heterogeneous nature of business application environments increases the total cost of development and ownership due to the need for developers to be skilled in multiple hardware, software, and networking platforms, making it challenging to design, develop, and maintain these environments effectively.
Innovation Solution
An integrated development environment (IDE) is provided that reads a derived business application data model (BADM) to define a client application data model (CADM) and data mapping rules (DMRs), allowing for the development, generation, and deployment of client applications and web services, thereby simplifying the integration of business and client applications across different platforms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If developers are required to be skilled in multiple hardware, software, and networking platforms to support heterogeneous business application environments, then the system can support diverse client applications and server platforms, but the total cost of development and ownership increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an integrated development environment (IDE) as an intermediary layer between developers and heterogeneous platforms. The IDE provides unified tools and abstractions that mask underlying platform differences, allowing developers to work with a consistent interface regardless of the target platform. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining broad platform support while reducing the complexity burden on developers.
Solution Approach 2:
The IDE is designed as a universal development platform that can target multiple client applications and server platforms through a single interface. By implementing multi-functional capabilities within one toolset, the system eliminates the need for developers to master multiple specialized tools, thereby reducing development complexity while preserving adaptability across diverse platforms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If developers must master multiple platforms to design and maintain heterogeneous business application environments, then comprehensive platform support is achieved, but development and maintenance time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The IDE serves as a time-saving intermediary by automating platform-specific tasks and providing unified development workflows. Developers interact with a single standardized interface, and the IDE handles platform-specific implementations, significantly reducing the time required for cross-platform development and maintenance while preserving comprehensive platform support.
Solution Approach 2:
The IDE performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring platform-specific settings, generating platform-appropriate code, and establishing standardized project structures before actual development begins. This advance preparation eliminates repetitive setup tasks and reduces overall development time while maintaining support for multiple platforms.
3Ease of operation
If a centralized data model approach is used to generate web services and client applications, then integration between business and client applications is enhanced, but the initial setup and model definition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically generating web services and client applications from the centralized data model. Once the data model is defined, the IDE autonomously produces the necessary code artifacts and configurations, reducing manual intervention and simplifying the integration process. The initial model definition complexity is offset by the automated generation of substantial integration artifacts.
4Ease of manufacture
If an integrated development environment is implemented to simplify cross-platform development, then development cost is reduced, but the tooling and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple development tools, compilers, debuggers, and platform-specific utilities into a single integrated development environment. By combining these previously separate tools into one unified system, the overall infrastructure complexity is reduced rather than increased, as the IDE provides a coordinated framework that manages the interactions between different tool components.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products providing an integrated development environment for client/server environments. One computer-implemented method includes reading a derived business application data model (BADM) associated with a business application into an integrated development environment (IDE), defining a client application data model (CADM) for a client application, defining at least one data mapping rule (DMR) to map at least data translations between the BADM and the CADM, developing the client application based upon at least the CADM, developing at least one web service based upon the BADM, CADM, and the at least one DMR, generating the client application and the at least one web service, and deploying the client application, the at least one web service, and the at least one DMR.